Mechanism in the cover of a vacuum cleaner for rendering the cleaner inoperative if no bag is in place



NOV- 18, 1958 A. P. cAwL. ETA

MECHANISM 1N THE COVER 0F A VACUUM CLEANER FCR RENDEMW THE CLEANER INOPERATIVE IF NO EAG IS IN PLACE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed NOV. 29, 1956 THEIR ATTRNEY Nov. 18, 1958 A, P. cAwL ET AL 2,860,725

MECHANISM IN THE COVER OF A VACUUM CLEANER FOR RENDERING THE CLEANER INOPERATIVE IF NO BAG IS IN PLACE Filed Nov. 29, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y? IN V EN TORS l I HALEN P CnwL ZWLM THEYR ATTRNEY NOV. 18, 1958 A p CAWL ET AL 2,860,725

F' A VACUUM CLEANER FOR yREIDERING MECHANISM IN THE COVER O THE CLEANER INOPERATIVE IF' NO BAG IS IN PLACE s sheets-sheet s Filed NOV. 29, 1956 THEIR ATTRNEY '2,860,725 Patented Nov. 18, 1958 ffice 'MECHANISM IN THE COVER A VACUUM CLEANER FR RENDERING THE CLEANER IOPERAHVE IF N BAG IS IN PLACE Allen' P. Cawl, Norotori Heights, and John .1. Kowalewski, i

LRiverside, Conn., assignors to Electrolux Corporation,

01d Greenwich, Conn., a corporationof Delaware Application November Z9, 1956, Serial No. 625,087 3 Claims. (Cl. 18343) Our invention relates to vacuum cleaners and more particularly to vacuum cleaners of the tank or canister type in'which the dust bag is concealed from view within the casing of the cleaner.

`With cleaners of this type it is necessary to periodically remove the dust bag in order to `empty it or, if it is a disposable bag, to dispose of it withits contents. In either case it sometimes occurs that the operator forgets to replace the cloth bag or to insert anew disposable bag, Awith the result that the dirt drawn into the cleaner during subsequent operation of the machine fouls the fan and motor and, if the machine is not provided with a filter, a large percentage of the dirt passes lthrough the cleaner and is discharged into the air in the room.

If the cleaner is of a type using a disposable bag having a relatively stiff cardboard disc formed with a small inlet opening the removable cover of the cleaner may be "so constructed that it does not lseal the dust bag compartment, the aforementioned cardboard disc being relied 'upon vforV this purpose. Consequently, if nodustibag is in position within the cleaner, the dust bag compartment will lnot be sealed, but will be open to the atmosphere so that if the motor-fan unit is operated relatively clean air will be drawn directly into the dust bag compartment and little or no flow will take place through the hose, inasmuch as the latter path offers `a much greaterl resistanceto ow. Consequently, while the motor-fan unit may be operated, no dirt will be drawn into the cleaner. Such arrangements are shown in Patent No. 2,567,221 issued September 11, 1951, to G. E. Lofgren and Patent No. 2,641,330 issued lune 19, 1953, to Lofgren, Lampe and Ferraris.

However, with an arrangement of this nature it is not possible to use a permanent cloth bag having a wide opened mouth, as is preferable for easy emptying, as the dust bag compartmentwould not be sealed when such a bag is in place. Accordingly, it is an object of our invention to provide an arrangement whereby either a cloth dust bag or a disposable dust bag may be employed, together with means for preventing operation of the vacuum cleaner in the event no bag is placed therein. More speciiically, our invention contemplates a member movably "mounted on the front cover and so arranged that if no bag is in position a portion of this member is biased into the path of travel of the latch which removably secures the front` cover to the casing of the cleaner so that the latch is prevented from engagement, which in turn assures that the front cover will not remain closed. This movable member is so arranged that, it either a cloth bag or a disposable bag is in position, a portion of the member contacts such bag so as toi'rnove the member out of the path of travel of the latch, thus permitting the `latter to function in the normal manner to secure the cover in place.

By mounting the movable member on the cover, it makes it possible to incorporate the present invention in an existing vacuum cleaner merely by replacing the therein;

i 2 original cover with a new one, `there being no change whatsoever requiredin the remainder of the cleaner.

Furtherobjects and advantages will be `:apparentfrom Vthe following description considered'in connection with the accompanying drawings whichiform :apart 'ofthis Vspecification and on which:

Fig. 1 is a view partlyin cross-sectionof'avacuurn cleaner including one embodiment ofcurinvention"'and showing the cleaner with "a "disposable bag in Aplace Fig. 2 isV a cross-sectionalview similar tot Figli, but on a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view similarto Fig. 2, but showing the cleaner with a cloth bag'in position; p

Fig. 4 is a view similar to' Figs. 2 and 3, butshowingno bag in the cleaner;

`a tank type vacuum cleaner, in onefendofwhiich is located a motor-tan unit 12 having 1an* inlet 14. The

space 16within theV housirigld toA the left if ithe`lmotorian unit, as viewed in Fig. 1,` is a dust bag compartment `in whichiis disposed a bag supporting member 18 formed with a large number of perforatins `241. The "opent` end of member 18 is Secured to a ring 22tastened to" the open end of casing 10. l

A cover or closure member 24 is pivotally and removably securedto the ring 22 by meansof a hinge26.` "A

`latch member Sil is pivotally mounted at 32 in the cover diametrically opposite from the hinge 26and is provided with a spring 34 urging' it in a counter-clockwiserdirec tion, as viewed in Figs.` 1 through 4. The u'pperp'artof ring 22 is provided with a pair of ears'- 36`extending ror-4 wardlytherefrom and between which is disposed `a keeper in the form of a bar or pin 38. As seen in Figs. 1,12; and 3, the latch 30 is in engagement with the pin 3S `so as to hold the cover closed.

Latch 30 has a button portion40 which extends outm wardly through an opening in the cover 24 so as to be,` accessible for manual operation. The latch 30 also has.. attached thereto an arm 42 which is engaged by a stern 44 connected to a diaphragm 46 which constitutes onewall of a diaphragm chamber 4S formed in the cover., The interior or chamber 48 is connected by means of a conduit 5t) with a space S2 within the housing of adif- 'erential pressure responsive'device designated generally by reference character 54.

This device includes a pressure responsive diaphragm 56, the right-hand side of which, as' viewed in Fig. l, is; subjected through a conduit dito the pressure existing within an inlet conduit 6@ carried by the front cover. The other side of the diaphragm 56 is subjected to the suction produced by the motor-fan unit `and communicated through the dust bag compartment 16, a short conduit 62 carried by the ring 22 and a conduit 64 in the cover 24. The ends of conduits 62 and 64 are in sealing relationship with each other when the cover 24 is closed. The diaphragm 56 is biased to the right by means of a spring 66. `A valve member 68 is slidably mounted in the device 54 and is attached to a valve stern 70 which is disposed so as to be contactedV by the diaphragm when the latter moves to the` left. A spring 72 tends to seat the valve 68. As previously described, high suction from the'fan `will be communicated to the left side or the diaphragm 56 and, if the valve 68 is opened by movement of the diaphragm to the left, this suction will be communicated through the space 52 and the conduit 50 to the diaphragm chamber 48, thus moving the diaphragm 46 to the left so as to pivot the latch 30 in a clockwise direction to thereby disengage it from the keeper 38. The latch 30, diaphragm chamber 48 and control devices 54 are enclosed within the cover 24 by a plate 73.

This vacuum cleaner is designed to employ either a disposable paper dust bag or cloth bag which may be emptied and used repeatedly. In Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a disposable bag designated generally by reference character 74. This bag includes a substantially rigidv cardboard disc 76 to which is secured a bag portion 78 made of pervious paper so that the air may pass therethrough while the dust is retainedv therein. The disc 76 is formed with a centrally located aperture 79 through which extends the inlet conduit 60 when the cover is closed. Plate 73 of the cover preferably carries a gasket member 80 which surrounds the inlet conduit 60 and bears against the disc 76 so as to hold the outer periphery or flange portion of the latter against a seat formed by a gasket 82 carried by the ring 22.

The outer end of conduit 60 is formed as one part of a separable coupling so that a flexible hose carrying the other part of the coupling may be connected thereto. Operation of the motor-fan unit 12 serves to draw air in through the hose and conduit 12 to the interior of the dust bag, which separates from the air any dirt entrained therewith, the clean air passing through the pervious material of the bag.

Secured as by rivets 83 to the upper side of housing 10 is a bracket 84, which is disposed between the casing and a trim piece 85. This bracket is formed with a rear upwardly extending arm 90 having a slot formed therein. A rod 94 extends through the slot and through an aligned opening formed in ring 22. A coil spring 96 is disposed around rod 94 and is confined between arm 90 and a collar 'or ange 98 formed on the rod. Consequently, this .spring tends to move the rod 94 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1. The right-hand end of the rod 94 is connected ,to the operating member 100 of an electric switch, the

`arrangement being such that when the rod is moved to the left under the inuence of spring 96, the rod moves the member 100 to the ofrr position. The left endof the rod which projects through the opening of the ring 22 is disposed so as to contact a projection 101 on the cover 24 when the latter is closed, the closing of the cover pushing the rod to the right so as to compress the spring 96. Hence, when the cover is released by the disengagement of latch 30 from the keeper 28, the rod 94 under the influence of spring 96 starts to pivot the cover to open position.

The upper part of plate 73 is formed with a pocket or depression 102 in which is movably mounted structure comprising a lever member 104 pivotally mounted at 106. A spring 108 is provided which tends to pivot the lever 104 in a counter-clockwise direction.

The lower arm of the lever 104 is so positioned that it will strike the disc 76 of the dust separating member 74 if the latter is in position within the casing, as is shown in Figs. l yand 2. This causes the lever to be pivoted in clockwise direction `.against the force of spring 108 so that the upper arm` of the lever is removed from the path of travel of the latch member 30. Consequently, as viewed in Figs. l and 2, the latch member is in engagement with pin 38 so as to secure the cover 24 in closed position.

In Fig. 3 a cloth bag 110 is shown in position within the vacuum cleaner. This bag includes a cloth portion secured to a metal rim 112, which in turn has an outwardly extending flange portion 114 carrying a gasket 116. With the bag in position, the gasket 116 is disposed in sealing relationship between the plate 73 and the gasket 82. As shown in Fig. 3, the lower arm of the pivoted lever 104 contacts the gasket 116 of the cloth dust bag so as to pivot the lever in a clockwise direction against the force of spring 108, thereby removing the upper end of the arm from the path of travel of the latch 30. Consequently, under these conditions the latch is able to engage the pin 38 so as to secure the cover in closed position.

In Fig. 4, the cleaner is shown with no bag therein and under these conditions the spring 108 is able to hold the pivoted arm 104 in a position such that the upper end of the arm is disposed in the path of travel of the latch member 30. The relative strengths of the springs 108 and 34 are such that the pivoted arm is able to move the latch member to the position shown in Fig. 4, wherein it is out of engagement with the pin 38 and consequently there is nothing to secure the cover 24 in closed position. On the contrary, although the cover may be moved to this position by hand, as soon as the hand is removed the rod 94 under the force of spring 96 immediately opens the cover. Hence, if there is no bag in the cleaner it is not possible to latch the cover in closed position and it will immediately open. Movement of the rod 94 assures that the switch 100 is in open position and therefore it is impossible to operate the vacuum cleaner. Even'if the rod 94 were not connected to the switch so that the motor could be operated, this would cause only clean air to be drawn in through the open end of the housing 10, and no dust-ladened air would be drawn in through the hose.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5 through 8 is similar to that already described, except that the movably mounted structure comprises a pivoted lever 120 mounted by means of a bracket 121 on the inner surface of plate 73 and in the space enclosed within the cover 24. This lever is provided with a spring 122 which tends to pivot the lever in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 8. A portion of the structure comprising the end 124 of this lever is disposed so as to be in the path of travel of the arm 42 of the latch member 30, the spring 122 being of suiiicient strength to pivot the latch member against the force of its spring 34. Another portion of the structure comprising the end 126 of the lever 120 extends through a slot formed in the wall 73 so as to strike either the cardboard disc of a disposable dust bag or the ring 112 of the cloth dust bag 110, as shown in Fig. 5. When this occurs, the lever is pivoted so that its end 124 is out of the path of travel of the arm 42, thus permitting the latch 30 to engage the pin 38, as illustrated inFig. 5. However, if no bag is in the machine, which condition is shown in Fig. 6, the spring 122 is able to pivot the end 124 of the lever 120 against the arm 42 of the latch 30,

so as to prevent the latter from engaging the pin 38,.

Under these conditions the front cover canno-t be latched in closed position and therefore the cleaner cannot be inadvertently operated without a bag in position.

While we have shown two more or less specitc embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that this has been done for purposes of Aillustration only and that the scope of our invention is not to be limited thereby, but is to be determined from the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a closure for said opening, 'a latch member movably mounted on said closure for releasably securing the latter in closed position, structure movably mounted on said closure, and means for biasing one portion of said structure into the path of movement of said latch member to prevent the latter from latching, another portion of said structure contacting said dust separating member when the latter is in place in said casing for holding 'the first-mentioned portion out of said path of movement.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a closure for said opening, a latch member pivotally mounted on said closure for releasably securing the latter in closed position, a lever pivotally mounted on said closure, and means or biasing one portion of said lever into the path of travel of said latch member to prevent the latter from l'atching, another portion of said lever contacting said dust separating member when the latter is in place in said casing for holding the first-mentioned portion out of said path of travel.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an' opening, -a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a keeper secured to said casing, a closure for said opening, a latch member pivotally mounted on said closure, spring means for urging said latch into engagement with said keeper for releasably securing said closure in closed position, movable means mounted on said closure, and spring means for biasing one portion of said movable means into the path of travel of said latch member, the relative strengths of said spring means being such that said lever prevents said latch member from engaging said keeper, another portion of said movable means contacting said dust separating member when the latter is in place in said casing for holding the first-mentioned portion out of said path of travel.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an' opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a keeper secured to said casing, a hollow dish-shaped closure for said opening, a plate member forming a cover for enclosing a space within said hollow closure, a latch member pivotally mounted in said space and having a portion for engaging said keeper to releasably secure the closure in closed position, a lever pivotally mounted on the outside of said plate member, and spring means for biasing one end of said lever into the path of travel of said portion of the latch member for preventing the latter from engaging said keeper, the other end of said lever contacting said dust separating member when the latter is in place in said casing for holding said one end out of said path of travel.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a keeper secured to said casing, a hollow dish-shaped closure for said opening, a plate member forming a cover for enclosing a space within said hollow closure, a latch member pivotally mounted in said space and having a portion for engaging said keeper to releasably secure the closure in closed position, said plate member formed with an inwardly extending recess adjacent to said latch member, a lever pivotally mounted in' said recess, and spring means for biasing one end of said lever into the path of travel of said portion of the latch member for preventing the latter from engaging said keeper, the other end of said lever contacting said dust separating member when the latter is in place in said casing for holding said one end out of said path of travel.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a

keeper' secured to said casing, a hollow dish-shaped closure for said opening, a plate member forming a cover for enclosing a space within said hollow closure, a latch member pivotally mounted in said space and having a portion for engaging said keeper to releasably secure the closure in closed position, structure movably mounted on said plate, a portion of said structure being disposed within' said space, and spring means for biasing said portion into the path of travel of said latch member for preventing the latter from engaging said keeper, another portion of said structure` extending through an aperture in said plate member to contact said dust separating member when the latter is in place in said casing for holding the first-mentioned portion out of said path of travel.

7. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a keeper secured to said casing, a hollow dish-shaped closure for said opening, a plate member removably secured t0 said closure and forming a cover for enclosing a space within said hollow closure, a latch member pivotally mounted in said space and having a portion for engaging said keeper to releasably secure the closure in closed position, a lever mounted on the inner side of `said plate within said space, and spring means carried by said plate for biasing one end of said lever into the path of travel of said latch member for preventing the latter from engaging said keeper, the other end of said lever extending through an aperture in said plate member to contact said dust separating member When the latter is in place in said casing for holding said one end out of said path of travel.

8. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a keeper secured to said casing, a hollow dish-shaped c10- sure for said opening, a plate member removably secured to said closure and forming a cover for enclosing a space within said hollow closure, a latch member pivotally mounted in said space and having a portion for engaging said keeper to releasably secure the closure in closed position, movable means mounted on said plate, and spring means carried by said plate for biasing one portion of said movable means into the path of travel of said latch member for preventing the latter from engaging said keeper, another portion of said movable means contacting said dust separating member when the latter is in place in said casing for holding said one portion out of said path of travel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,322,948 Lofgren June 29, 1943 2,656,897 Yonkers Oct. 27, 1953 2,742,105 Dow Apr. 17, 1956 

